The present invention relates to a disc player system, and in particular an optical disc player system that generates a two- or three-dimensional image by the persistence of human vision on or above the viewable surface of a disc when the disc is played by a disc player having a pulsing incident light illuminating the viewable surface of the disc.
Disc and disc player manufacturers are always searching for new products that enhance the interaction between the user and the disc player. Disc players for playing optical storage and magnetic storage discs are available commercially from companies such as Timast(trademark), Cello(trademark), Harmon Kardon(trademark), Onkyo(trademark), Symphonic(trademark), JVC(trademark), Pioneer(trademark), Sony(trademark), Kenwood(trademark), RCA(trademark), Technics(trademark), AIWA(trademark), Philipps(trademark), Classic(trademark), Oritron(trademark), Grand PriX(trademark), Panasonic(trademark), Toshiba(trademark), Apex(trademark), Samsung(trademark), Zenith(trademark), GPX(trademark), Tozai(trademark), WhiteWestinghouse(trademark), Audiovox(trademark), Curtis(trademark), Admiral(trademark) and others. These generally include CD, DVD, VCD and MP3 players. Generally, only the portable CD players include a viewing window to expose a small portion of the surface of a disc being played. None of the known disc players include a pulsing or flashing light illuminating the upper surface of the CD and forming a discrete image thereon while the disc is being played. The discs generally include some form of indicia disposed on or adjacent the upper surface and some form of information storage medium viewable and readable from the lower surface. Sometimes, the information storage medium forms an iridescent rainbow image when viewed from above or below the surface of the disc. However, when the disc is played in the player, no discreet two- or three-dimensional image is formed on or projected from the upper surface of the disc. The information storage medium generally stores machine readable optical information.
Rotating discs (not optical data storage discs) that form variable light diffraction patterns when viewed under a non-pulsing light are available from companies such as LIGHTRIX HOLOGRAPHIC PRODUCTS (San Leandro, Calif.). These discs, however, do not possess a machine-readable optical information storage medium and they are not adapted to generate a discrete 2- or 3-D image by the persistence of human image when placed in a disc player while the disc player is reading the stored information.
Accordingly, the prior art does not disclose disc players and associated optical discs that form one or more two- or three-dimensional moving or still images by the persistence of human vision on the upper surface of the disc while the disc is being played.
The present invention seeks to provide a disc player system that provides an improved interaction between a user, the disc player and the disc. One aspect of the invention provides a disc player comprising:
a disc receptacle;
a viewing port for the receptacle; and
a light source that projects pulsing incident light into the receptacle such that when an optical disc is being played by the disc player, one or more discrete two-dimensional and/or a three-dimensional images are formed on or above the viewable surface of the disc by the persistence of human vision when the disc is viewed through the viewing port.
Another aspect of the invention provides a disc player system comprising:
a disc player comprising a viewing port, a disc receptacle, and a pulsing light source that projects light into the receptacle; and
an optical disc comprising an upper portion comprising an image-forming medium and a lower portion comprising an information storage medium, wherein one or more two- or three-dimensional images are formed on or above the upper portion of the disc by the persistence of human vision when the disc is in the receptacle, is being played by the disc player in the presence of incident light from the light source, and is being viewed by a human.
Yet another aspect of the invention provides a disc comprising:
an upper portion comprising an image-forming medium; and
a lower portion comprising an information-storage medium;
wherein, one or more two- or three-dimensional images are formed on or projected from the upper portion by the persistence of human vision when the disc is played by a disc player in the presence of incident light from a light source.
Still another aspect of the invention provides a method of generating a discrete two-dimensional or three-dimensional image comprising the step of:
a) illuminating the upper surface of an optical disc, comprising an image-forming medium in an upper portion and an information storage medium in a lower portion, with a pulsing light source;
b) playing the disc in a disc player having a disc receptacle, a viewing port, and a pulsing light source that projects the pulsing light onto the image-forming medium; and
c) viewing the upper surface of the disc through the viewing port as the disc is being played by the disc player, thereby forming one or more two- or three-dimensional images by the persistence of human vision.
Specific embodiments of the invention include those wherein: 1) the viewing port superposes the receptacle; 2) the disc player further comprises a cover for the receptacle, and the viewing port is disposed within the cover; 3) the disc player comprises two or more viewing ports; 4) the pulsing light source is one or more of an incandescent bulb, halogen bulb, fluorescent bulb, laser, electroluminescent light, light emitting diode, cathode ray tube, spotlight, or light beam; 5) the light source is operably controlled by the disc player or the user of the system; 6) the interval, period, frequency, color and/or color of the light source is controlled by one or more of an integrated circuit, software, hardware, computer, macro, discreet logic, subroutine, electronic component or other convention light controller; 7) the light source is disposed within the receptacle, disposed adjacent the receptacle and/or engaged with the cover; 8) the light source is movably engaged with the disc player; 9) the light source is fixedly engaged with the disc player; 10) the disc player comprises a spindle and the light source is engaged with the spindle; 11) the spindle or light source is retractably engaged with the disc player; 12) the cover is movably engaged with the disc player; 13) the cover is fixedly engaged with the disc player; 14) the disc player is a hand-held type of disc-player; 15) the disc player is a shelf- or surface-mounted type of disc-player; 16) at least two different two-dimensional images, at least two different three-dimensional images, or at least one two-dimensional image and at least one three-dimensional image are formed on or projected from the upper surface of the disc by the persistence of human vision when the disc is being played; 17) the different images are formed by viewing the disc being played at different radial angles with respect to the radial center of the disc; 18) the different images are formed by viewing the disc being played at different vertical angles with respect to the upper surface of the disc; 19) the different images are formed by changing the manner in which the light source projects light; 20) the different images are formed by changing the color of the light; 21) the light source comprises plural discreet light sources and the different images are formed by changing which light sources are lit or changing the brightness of the light source; 22) the disc being played contains visual and/or audio information stored in a storage medium and the different images are formed in coordination with the stored information; 23) the light source is operably controlled by the disc player; 24) the disc player further comprises a spindle and a position indicator that indicates the relative position of the disc being played with respect to the spindle; 25) the position indicator is at least one of engagement means in the spindle and/or disc, retainer in the spindle, indicia on the spindle and/or disc, and data stored in the disc; 26) the position indicator is disposed on at least one of the disc being played, the spindle and the receptacle; 27) the disc and platen or spindle comprise mating engagement means; 28) disc player comprises a viewing port that is radially slidably engaged with the cover such that the viewing port can assume different radial positions with respect to the cover, body of the disc player or spindle; 29) the light source is disposed adjacent the viewing port; 30) the light source is engaged with the cover; and the viewing port is disposed within the cover; 31) the discrete image is a still image; 32) the discrete image is a moving image; 33) the viewing port is integral with the cover; 34) the cover has a transparent or translucent portion that serves as the viewing port; 35) different images are formed by changing the frequency, interval, period, pulse length and/or color of the pulsing light; 36) the cover comprises plural viewing ports; 37) the viewing port(s) comprises a viewing port cover; 38) the disc player comprises an optical reader adapted to determine the relative radial position of a disc being played; 39) the disc comprise encoded lenticular image segments and the viewing port or cover comprise a lenticular lens adapted to decode the encoded lenticular image segments and form a discrete image; and/or 40) the disc has a light transmissive portion and the disc player comprises a platen or receptacle bottom comprising a light source adapted to project light through the light transmissive portion of the disc.
These and other aspects and embodiments of the invention will be readily understood by the artisan of ordinary skill in view of the present disclosure.